On today’s episode of Bri Books, I’m sharing 5 easy recipes for dinner. These recipes for beginners are super easy to make at home, and they’re the perfect easy recipes for college students. On those nights when you can’t be bothered to cook yet you’re craving comfort food, listen to this episode for instant inspiration. In addition, I’m sharing my three pre-dinner rituals that help set the mood, even if you’re just cooking for one.
3 Pre-Dinner Rituals
Ritual #1: Get in the vibe
After you finish the workday, take a quick shower and get dressed in a fresh set of comfy clothes. Changing your outfit for dinner, especially if you’re working from home these days, signals to your brain that you’re entering the evening stage of your night. By taking a quick walk and changing clothes before dinner, I avoid that dreaded feeling of watching the hours tick by until bedtime.
Ritual #2: Set your menu
When you're having breakfast, think about dinner. Do you need to pull the meat down and defrost? Do you need to find time to pop to a nearby store to buy ingredients? You don’t want to get to dinnertime and not have your dinner accouterments. That causes stress, anxiety, and makes it easier to pull the trigger on ordering takeout.
Ritual #3: Take control of the playlist.
This is where the dinnertime vibe shines through. As you cook, listen to a playlist that reflects the origins of your meal. Personally, my dinnertime music vibe is upscale-hotel-bar-meets-kickback. Play music that gets you into a playful mood and helps you cook happy. Here’s a link to my Spotify profile, and one of my favorite dinner-making playlists: W Hotel Lobby Playlist. Pro tip: play music based on wherever the recipe you’re creating originated. Taht’s a fun way to connect yourself with the result of the world when we can’t travel to our favorite restaurants let alone countries. Use music and cooking as an opportunity to connect yourself to the larger global culture.
5 Restaurant-Worthy Meals (full recipes can be found on @BriBooksPod Instagram Feed!)
Meal #1: Making pizza at home is deceptively easy to make and will have you wondering why you spend so much money on pizza. Here’s a link to my favorite pizza recipe on Instagram.
Meal #2: Fajita! It stores well--if you cook the ingredients in bulk. Fajitas store well is delicious reheated, and are great for lunch or dinner. You can use whatever you have in the fridge.
Meal #3: Pasta! Garlic butter is the secret to a fantastic cacio e pepe pasta. Everytime we make this, it feels so restaurant quality. Using a high-quality noodle is the secret to a satisfying plate of pasta. Use a high-quality noodle to take the dish over the edge. Here’s a link to my go-to cacio e pepe recipe.
Meal #4: Veggie soup or bone broth. It’s quick, accessible, and no-fuss. Having broth on hand with a can of beans is a hearty wintertime meal. We love to do bone broth with lamb bones, etc. as a base for our soups. Punch up your soup with a handful of fresh greens and a half can of drained butter beans to give it a creamy consistency. Here’s a link to my favorite ‘Always On’ vegetable soup.
Meal #5: Burgers. Low-key gourmet burgers are easier to make than you think. Simply keep your favorite ground beef on hand, and make a half dozen burger patties to freeze in the freezer. Pull one down any time you’re craving meat, and voila, no more spending upwards of $30 on takeout burgers! You’re welcome! Here’s a link to my favorite burger recipe.
For even more recipe content, follow me on Pinterest. If you’re new to the show, leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and SoundCloud! Please ask me your food questions and show me what you're cooking by using #bribooks on Instagram, and subscribe to the Bri Books newsletter at bribookspod.com/newsletter. Follow @BriBooksPod on Instagram for more cooking tips and culinary secrets.
